One of Toronto's busiest streets is getting a massive makeover

Toronto's Yonge Street will be getting a massive makeover in the coming years in an effort to increase pedestrian space and improve the flow of traffic through the consistently congested stretch. 

The project, dubbed "yongeTOmorrow," will transform Yonge Street between College/Carlton Street and Queen Street — revitalizing the stretch that runs beside important Toronto landmarks like the Eaton Centre, Sankofa Square, and Toronto Metropolitan University. 

According to the City of Toronto, a cast iron watermain originally constructed in 1889 exists beneath Yonge Street from Queen Street to College Street, and will soon need to be replaced.

The project's area. Photo: City of Toronto.

At the same time, just south of Gerrard Street, the last reconstruction of the road base took place over seven decades ago, which provides an opportunity to bundle the road work with the watermain replacement. 

The project is set to increase sidewalk widths, reduce the existing four-lane driving cross-section to two lanes, and introduce separated cycling facilities north of Gerrard Street to College Street. 

Several design elements will be consistent for the full length of the corridor from Queen Street to College/Carlton Street, including a 6.6 metre roadway with one vehicle lane in each direction, roughly 2.7-metre wide furnishing, planting, and curbside activity zone on each side of the street, and a four metre wide pedestrian clearway on each side of the street. 

The design phase officially kicked off in late 2024 and is expected to run until 2028, with construction to follow around 2030. 

In the meantime, the City is hosting a public drop-in event about the project on Tuesday, April 21, and is also inviting members of the public and local residents to complete a survey by May 5.